Recap: The Top Stories Making News

Here are the stories making news in US politics you may have missed over the weekend…

1. Ocasio-Cortez warns of “list” as she and Pelosi warn Democrats about breaking rank after some vote against gun-control measure

Following over two dozen moderate Democrats breaking rank by voting against a new gun-control measure to side with Republicans, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) allegedly said in a closed-door meeting that those Democrats were “putting themselves on a list.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also scolded moderate, center-leaning colleagues, telling them: “We are either a team or we’re not, and we have to make that decision.”

Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), along with co-sponsors of more than 100 House Democrats, introduced a “Medicare-for-all” bill that would enact massive changes to America’s healthcare system.

The bill intends to transform America into a virtual single-payer system, similar to systems used in the U.K. and Canada. The legislation promises to “prevent healthcare corporations from overcharging for the costs of their services and profiting off illness and injury.”

Critics of the bill say that it will largely outlaw private insurance, and for all intents and purposes, enact a government takeover of the healthcare system.

One clause in the bill makes it “unlawful” for a private health insurer “to sell health insurance coverage that duplicates the benefits provided under this Act,” while also prohibiting employers from doing the same.

3. Michael Cohen referred to DOJ for alleged perjury during hearing

Republicans from the House Oversight Committee referred ex-Trump attorney Michael Cohen to the Justice Department over alleged perjury, claiming he lied during sworn testimony before the panel about a number of issues including his ambitions to work in the Trump administration and contracts with foreign entities.

“Mr. Cohen’s testimony before the Committee at times was in direct contradiction to assertions contained in pleadings authored by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY.),” they wrote.

“There are other instances in which Mr. Cohen’s statements to the Committee were immediately contradicted by witnesses with firsthand knowledge of the subject matter.”

“We write to refer significant evidence that Michael D. Cohen committed perjury and knowingly made false statements during his testimony before an Oversight and Reform Committee hearing,” they wrote.

“While testifying under oath, Mr. Cohen made what appear to be numerous willfully and intentionally false statements of material fact contradicted by the record established by the Justice Department in United States v. Cohen.”

President Donald Trump has declared that US-backed forces have reclaimed 100% of the territory once claimed by ISIS in Syria.

“We just took over you know you kept hearing it was 90%, 92%, the caliphate in Syria, now it’s 100%, we just took over 100% caliphate, that means the area of the land we just have 100% so that’s good,” Trump said

However, according to reports, US officials and regional allies are not in agreement and are surprised by President Trump’ s statement, with some saying that many civilians still remain within the last area of territory that remains under ISIS control.